Dispensing device



June 5, 1934. J, Al H|NE ET AL 1,961,880

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 27, 1932 INI/ENTORS JOHN f4. H /NE A TTORNE YS.

Patented June 5, 1934 UNITED STATES DISPENSING DEVICE John A. Hine, Riverside, and Robert V. Hne, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application April 27, 1932, Serial No. 607,828

2 Claims. (Cl. 221-60) This invention relates to dispensing devices,` and same has more particular reference to that type of device for dispensing shaving creams, tooth pastes, face creams, salves, ointments and i the like from the more or less common forms of collapsible tubes.

A salient feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for ejecting a fixed charge of paste from a exible tube or receptacle and the provision of means in the assembly or organization for rendering the charge ejecting means positively operative regardless of the amount of paste contained in the receptacle.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described which is positively acting and of such design and construction that same may be manufactured as an original part of a collapsible tube without materially adding to the cost of production thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel and effective closure means which will be self-acting to automatically hermetically seal the receptacle immediately 'following each use thereof or at the end of each dispensing or ejecting operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the ejecting means can be conveniently actuated by the index finger, while the body of the tube is grasped in the palm o the hand of the user.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a `view in side elevation showing the parts in what may be properly described as their normal positions;

Figure 2 is a section taken approximately on the line 2--2 'of Figure 1, showing the ejecting mechanism in its depressed position, such as it would assume when it had reached the limit of its depressing or ejecting stroke; v

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

In carrying the invention into practice, use is made of a collapsible tube 5, the body portion 6 of which may be of any suitable well known construction and made of any suitable well known material capable of being collapsed and coiled on itself. Such material may be in the nature of lead or tin-foil, celluloid or the like. A tube of this character is generally filled from the end 7 thereof, after which said end is securely crimped and properly sealed so that the charge may be properly confined Within the tube. The opposite end of the tube is formed '55; with a ared crown wall 8 and extending axially from the small end thereof is a neck 9 whose free extremity is formed with a cylindrical enlargement 10, there being a shoulder l1 at the juncture oi the enlargement 10 with the 'adjacent extremity of the body portion of the neck 9, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing. The purpose of this construction will clearly appear as the description advances. Formed in the neck 9 is a discharge orifice 12 which may be of any desired shape, depending upon the formation to be given a thread of paste or cream during the operation of the device. The orifice herein illustrated is circular, as may be best for the purpose of the invention when dispensing shaving cream or the like from the tube. It obviously follows that an elongated form of orifice may be substituted for the circular form when tooth paste is to be discharged onto a brush, thereby enabling a comparatively flat thread ci paste to be laid properly onto the bristles of a tooth brush.

Telescopically arranged in the neck 9 is an ejecting mechanism, the same` consisting of a hollow cylindrical member 13 having an open end 14 and a closed end 15, the former having an annular shoulder 16 which isl adapted to comeA in Contact with adjacent walls of the portion 9 of the tube 5 when the member i3 has reached the limit of one of two possible positions, such, for instance, as the position illustrated in Figure l` The face 17 of the shoulder 16 functions as a compressing surface when the member 13 is moved in an opposite direction, and it is intended to exert a force against a body of cream or paste contained in the tube 5.

The closed end l5 of the aforementioned cylindrical member 13 is formed preferably with a threaded stud 18 and same has attached thereto a finger piece or knob 19, the same being preferably cylindrical and adapted to reciprocate in the cylindrical enlargement l0, as will be fully appreciated on reference to Figure 2 of the drawing. Now, it will be observed that a coiled spring 20 is contained in the cylindrical enlargement 10 and is arranged in operative association with the inner face of the finger piece 19, and an adjacent surface of the shoulder 11, and it is intended that the spring shall function as shown in Figure 1, so that when effectively exposed to the ringer of the hand of an operator it may be depressed and, in consequence thereof, the hollow cylindrical member 13 advanced in a longitudinal direction, where it will apply force against the charge of paste or cream contained in the tube 5. The said hollow cylindrical member 13 is formed with an orifice 21 which is adapted to gradually coincide with the orifice 12 during movement of the cylindrical member in one direction, such as When it is desired to purposely eject a quantity of paste or cream from the tube. After so doing, or when a charge of paste or cream has been ejected and the nger of the operator released from the linger piece 19, the spring 20 instantly functions to restore I:the ejecting mechanism to its aforementioned normal position, at which time the orifice 12 Will be again closed by an imperforate portion of the member 13. It is in this manner that provision is made for hermetically sealing the contents or" the tube immediately following each ejecting operation.

It has been described in the foregoing that the device is intended primarily for use in conjunction with collapsible tubes. The importance of this will be understood when it is appreciated that in order to cause the device to operatively function, it is necessary that the effective capacity of the tube be changed at reasonable times after a certain number of ejecting operations have taken place. This is required in order that the mass of material contained ii the tube shall always be eiectively presented to the ejecting mechanism.

In order to insure operative registration oi the orifice 2l With the orifice 153 during the ejecting operation, it is desirable for the purpose oi simplicity that the Walls of the hollow cylindrical member 13 be upset to ferm a longitudinal groove 22 and that the Walls of the neck. 9 be almost correspondingly deformed so as to produce a mating longitudinal rib 23, the latter being received in the groove 22, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. It is in this manner that provision is made against rotary motion being imparted to the ejeoting mechanism.

Having described the essential characterizing features of the invention, the modus operandi is about as follows: First assume that the tube 5 is in a substantially normal state, such as when it is purchased, at which time the tube is lled to capacity. lt follows therefrom that by depressing the linger piece 19 pressure will be exerted upon the mass of material contained in the tube and the moment registration of the orifice 2l. is effected with the orifice 12 a charge of paste under the force of the exerted pressure will be discharged to the exterior part of the neck and in such proximity to the breast or flared wall 8 of the tube as to permit the linger of the operator to be rubbed over said surface to gather up the paste and apply it to the face preparatory to shaving. This would be with respect to that form of paste that does not contain soap or which is not intended to form into a lather when mixed with Water. In soapy creams, same may be discharged directly upon a shaving' brush. it follows that as the quantity of material in the tube is reduced, it becomes necessary to change the capacity of the tube.

This may be done by coiling the tube in the regular manner from the end '7 and is best effected manually. This elevates the paste or cream contained in the tube and operatively disposes it with respect to the ejecting mechanism so as to render the latter positively effective on its next or immediately subsequent operations. If this were not done, it Would be impossible to create the ne essary pressure upon the paste or cream that is required to effect its delivery from the tube.

The entire device is such that with a tube of normal size it is possible that it may be laid in the palm of the hand with the ringer piece projecting to a position whore it may be conveniently depressed, the orifice 12 being so located as to cause a lateral discharge of a portion of the paste onto the exterior surface of the Wall 8.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device or" the class described, a collapsible tube having a hollow neck at one end, the neck having a discharge orifice, a hollow ejecting member slidably mounted in said neck and formed With a discharge orice adapted to coincide with the irst said orifice when the member is moved to one position, said ejecting member being closed at its cuter end and having a manipulating portion exposed exteriorly or" the neck, the length ci' the ejecting member being in excess or that of the neck and the inner end thereof being open and positioned within the tube and having its Walls flared outwardly so as to exert a displacing "ce against paste contained in the tube as the said member is moved in a direction to effect registration of the aforesaid orifices with each other and to thereby eifect a discharge of paste from said orifices, and means for normally urging said member in a direction to dispose the orifice thereof in a nonregistering position relatively to the orifice in said neck.

2. The combination with a collapsible tube having a flared Wall at one end, and a hollow cylindrical necl: extending from said Wall and providing a cylindrical enlargement at its outer end, oi a hollow cylindrical member mounted for reciprocal movement in the neck, said member having a manually actuatable portion operating in said cylindrical enlargement, the outer end of said member being closed and the inner end thereof being open and in direct communication with the tube, the member having an orifice, the neck. having an orifice adapted to register with the iirst said orice, a spring contained in the said enlargement and bearing against said manually actuatable portion and serving to hold the orice in the member out oi registeration with the oriiice in the member when the latter is in one position, and means for holding said member against rotation.

JOHN A. HINE. ROBERT V. -IINE. 

